Don’t Diss the Diva It’s easy to dismiss Venus as a planetary lightweight, an inconsequential party girl eating bon-bons and wearing a fluffy boa. But if you doubt her power, consider how many of our decisions originate from her domain: desire – whether for love, for pleasure, for money, or for social acceptance. While we’ve given a certain amount of virtual ink in recent weeks to eclipses, Jupiter and Uranus, and Mercury’s changes of motion, this week it’s Venus who commands our respect. First, Venus enters her home sign of Taurus (April 29, 2024, 4:31 am PDT, through May 23), where she invit ..read more

Episode 232 | Pluto’s Week: Power, Control, and Cleaning Out the Pipes! This week, Venus and Mars enter their home signs and immediately encounter Pluto; the Aquarius Last Quarter Moon, conjoined Pluto, is an emphatic exclamation point at the end of two lunar cycles; Pluto stations retrograde – are you in control of your life? And in keeping with this week’s Plutonian theme, April answers a listener question about personal planets in aspect to Pluto. Plus: Exterminators and plumbers, tempering Taurus, and putting a little air into it. Read a full transcript of this episode. Have a question y ..read more

Magic Under the Surface It’s Taurus season and spring now in the Northern Hemisphere, and everything is easy and pleasant. We’ve just started filling the raised garden bed that Jonny built during Aries season, and two different mama birds have taken turns nesting on our front porch. How do birds know when to nest? What tells seeds how to transform into a zucchini? For most city dwellers, it’s enough to observe the satisfying, uncomplicated pleases of Taurus – the healthy garden, the fledgling chick. But Scorpio, its opposite sign, symbolizes the magic that takes place out of sight, underground ..read more

Episode 231 | Scorpio Full Moon: What’s Under the Surface! This week, the Scorpio Full Moon digs under the surface and doesn’t shy away from what it finds there; Mercury turns direct – a more Aries-friendly direction; Mars conjoins Neptune, jettisoning what won’t be needed when it enters its home sign of Aries; and April answers a listener question about emerging techniques or tools by discussing a current favorite, which is not exactly emerging, but sure is useful. Plus: A Hellenistic superstar, a fuddy-duddy, and your brother’s neighbor’s pet pig. Read a full transcript of this episode. Ha ..read more

Eclipse Hangover This week’s Cancer First Quarter Moon (April 15, 2024, 12:13 pm PDT) signals the “take action” point in the lunar cycle that began with the Aries New Moon/Solar Eclipse (April 8). The big whoosh of energy that came from that eclipse may have been overwhelming at the time – but now that we’ve had a week to catch our breath, the First Quarter Moon could bring a boost of energy and some tentative solutions to deal with the eclipse hangover. It’s also the First Quarter in a lunar phase family cycle that began at the July 17, 2023 Cancer New Moon. At the time, I wrote, “This&n ..read more

Episode 230 | Jupiter Meets Uranus: Shake it Up! This week, the First Quarter Moon in Cancer symbolizes transformation after the eclipse storm; the Sun enters its Taurus season, but its usual comfort and stability are immediately challenged by Pluto; the long-awaited and pulse-racing conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus; and April answers a couple of listener questions about how to handle tense family relationships. Plus: Eclipse hangover, a battle of wills, and dropping the rope!   Read a full transcript of this episode. Have a question you’d like answered on the show? Email April or leav ..read more

Feeding the Birds Do you find the give and take of human relationships challenging? When I got married, the biggest adjustment I faced was getting used to running things past another person before I took action. I find it difficult to let others do things for me. Working in groups is tricky because I’m inclined to move at my own pace, and that pace is usually pretty fast. Plus, if I’m honest, I just like to have things my own way. But I’m getting to that age when you begin to think about what will become of you when you get old and perhaps have no choice but to rely upon the kindness of others ..read more

Episode 229 | Aries Solar Eclipse: The Power of Giving! This week, the Aries New Moon Solar Eclipse asks us how we can be of service to others; Mars makes a conjunction with Saturn, demanding discipline and commitment; the Sun makes a conjunction with Mercury; and April answers a listener question about Chiron in the chart of the solar eclipse. Plus: Time out, drilling the troops, and pregnant with promise! For more about the upcoming eclipses, order April’s Followed by a Moonshadow Eclipse Report – details here! Read a full transcript of this episode. Have a question you’d like answered on ..read more

Ducks in a Row I blundered off to open an account at a new bank and found that things had changed quite a bit since I last did this. It all seems reasonable in hindsight, but it hadn’t occurred to me that I’d have to schedule an appointment, unfreeze my credit report, and provide various forms of ID. Needless to say, I soon found I’d have to do some homework and come back another day. These are the sort of hijinks that accompany Mercury retrograde in Aries (April 1, 2024, 3:14 pm PDT, through April 25). I had simply leapt impulsively into the car with nothing more than a couple of checks to de ..read more

Episode 228 | Venus in Aries: What’s New? This week, Mercury stations retrograde for a three-week backward march through Aries; Venus enters take-no-prisoners Aries and connects with Neptune and Pluto; the Capricorn Last Quarter Moon asks for a progress report; and April answers a couple of listener questions about composite charts and being born on a Void-of-Course Moon. Plus: A pep talk, feeling what you feel, and…what does Violet want? For more about the upcoming eclipses, order April’s Followed by a Moonshadow Eclipse Report – details here! Read a full transcript of this episode. Have a ..read more